Audubon Florida Naturalist Magazine Spring/Summer 2019
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Naturalist Spring/Summer 2019 Baby Screech Owls. Photo: RJ Wiley RJ Owls. Photo: Screech Baby 2019 Florida Audubon Society Leadership Julie Wraithmell Executive Director, Audubon Florida President, Florida Audubon Society Jud Laird, Chair Board of Directors Florida Audubon Society Jud Laird, Chair Heidi McCree, Vice Chair Carol Colman Timmis, Secretary Charlie Margiotta, Treasurer Dear Audubon Members and Supporters, Lester Abberger Amy Albury Longer, hotter, days. Afternoon thunderstorms. Summer approaches Florida much as it does the rest Carolyn Antman of the Atlantic Flyway. But here in South Florida, we hold on to our seats and hope that the summer of Stephen Buczynski David Cox 2019 is better for wildlife, people, and our beautiful natural world than the summer of 2018. We hope Dykes Everett that massive, intense waves of red tide don’t make it ashore to disrupt the Florida coast’s summer Paul Ferber tourist season. We hope that the plagues of blue green algae don’t reappear and threaten our health Ann Harwood-Nuss and that of our waterways. Reid Hughes Lois Kelley José Latour From Florida Bay to Apalachicola, bodies of water define Florida. For over 100 years, Audubon Florida Ron Magill has worked to protect our waters, and the wildlife and all inhabitants who need them to remain clean Steve Nellis and flowing in the right direction. This spring we celebrate progress with a state budget that provides Douglas Pitts Jr. historic funding for water, restoration, and climate change. But our work is far from done. Angie Renner Lida Rodriguez-Taseff Dan Savercool Audubon was essential to the passage of historic funding for Everglades restoration–more than $360 Michael Sheridan million. The allocations included almost $108 for the Everglades Reservoir—enough to advance and Scott Taylor accelerate this critical component of restoration. Other water quality projects receiving significant Paula Wehr funding include restoration for the Lake Okeechobee watershed, innovative technologies for algal Rob Williams blooms, restoration for Florida’s freshwater springs, water-quality projects to meet restoration goals, Doug Young Kristine Young and alternative water supply programs. You can read more details about this legislative session’s strengths and shortcomings on pages 4 and 5. Emeritus Joe Ambrozy Audubon leaders have been speaking out across the state–commending the governor’s good efforts, Sandy Batchelor and demanding more from the Legislature. Recent opinion pieces in Jacksonville’s Florida Times John Elting John Flanigan, Esq Union and the Naples Daily News featured Audubon board members Paul Ferber and John Elting. In Joyce King the Palm Beach Post, the Miami Herald, and Tallahassee Democrat, Audubon’s policy team members Steve Lynch have been frequently cited for their expertise on Everglades restoration projects, Lake Okeechobee management, and wetland protection. Audubon’s measured voice of reason is being heard and consulted around the state. Our team is sharing Audubon’s science and providing evidence-based policy solutions to advance protections for wildlife, water quality, climate, and conservation. As you settle into the summer and soak up those long, lazy, summer days, keep in mind that Audubon is already preparing for the challenges that await. Session will begin in January, with legislative committee meetings convening in late Fall. Please consider a gift to support this important work. Sincerely, 4500 Biscayne Boulevard Suite 350 Miami, Florida 33137 (305) 371-6399 Jud Laird fl.audubon.org Facebook.com/AudubonFlorida Twitter.com/AudubonFL Instagram.com/Audubon_FL 2 Spring/Summer 2019 Learn how you can help at www.GiveToAudubonFlorida.org Julie Wraithmell, Executive Director Audubon Florida Dear friends, What does summer in Florida mean to you? Beating the heat in the ocean or springs? Vacations? Flip-flops? Watermelon and cookouts? For me, in Tallahassee, it’s not summer until I’ve heard Least Terns, Common Nighthawks, and Eastern Kingbirds calling all in the same day. But the correct answer, for all of us, should be “Summer in Florida is meeting with legislators.” What’s that, you say? Legislative Session just ended, right? It did. And now, when schedules are less hectic, legislators are home in their districts, and most importantly, you’re not asking for anything urgently, now is the time to build relationships with your elected officials. These are the same relationships that will help you lend your voice to Florida’s environment when legislative committees convene again in four short months. Audubon is effective not just because we are science-based, or sophisticated in our policy solutions, but also because we are local everywhere—every legislator in the state has Audubon members in their district. And whether it is in their office or on a field trip, through social media or by happenstance in the produce section of your local grocery (true story), these interactions matter. Do you have a relationship with a legislator that would be helpful in Audubon’s work? Would you like to help develop one? Read more on page 5 on how to let us know, and get involved. We often brag about the diversity of our members’ skills—Audubon members are professional biologists, contractors, attorneys, teachers, doctors, air conditioning specialists, artists, and more. For any need, there is an Audubon member with that talent or skill. But we often forget that one of the greatest benefits you can lend to our natural resources isn’t learned in college or a long career. The friendliness of Audubon members and their willingness to build the connections needed to effect real change is our greatest strength. Get to know the elected officials who represent you. Say hello at that Fourth of July parade. Give them a high five on social media for their role in things like Everglades funding or fending off bad amendments in the last legislative session. Invite them to explore a park or preserve in your district. And coordinate with Audubon’s legislative team, so that these efforts build into something bigger than each of us. I hope you enjoy this edition of the Naturalist. It includes a debrief on the recent Legislative Session, a celebration of the coastal birds nesting on our islands and beaches, and a tour of the creativity and effectiveness evidenced over the last year of work from Audubon’s 45 Florida chapters, to name a few stories. Our members, staff, donors, and board have been making Audubon Florida a remarkable organization for 119 years. As always, thank you for helping make this essential work possible. Julie Wraithmell Learn how you can help at www.GiveToAudubonFlorida.org Audubon Florida Spring/Summer 2019 3 2019 Legislative Session: Historic Water and Climate Appropriations, But Protections Struggled Chilling Public Opportunities for Constitutional Amendments The Legislature passed a bill to make it more difficult for citizens to initiate constitutional amendments. As we’ve mentioned previously, this bill makes it harder to get citizen-led initiatives like 2014’s Water and Land Legacy Amendment (Amendment 1) on the ballot. Limiting Local Governments’ Ability to Be More Protective than the State The Legislature also introduced several measures in 2019 that would strip cities and counties of a wide range of powers. These included a ban on local governments prohibiting the use of single-use straws; a bill that limits a local government’s ability to protect trees; and making it harder for citizens to challenge land use decisions, among others. The governor issued his first veto, rejecting HB 771 (that would have prevented municipalities from banning plastic straws), Photo: Adobe Stock Adobe Photo: while standing up for local government control. DeSantis stated that since none of the bill’s provisions harmed the state’s interest, local This spring, legislators passed a $91.1 billion budget that made good governments should be allowed to address this issue through their on Governor DeSantis’ commitments to Everglades and water quality political processes. As bills are sent to the governor over the next few protection with an unprecedented $682 million in funding, but fell weeks, we may see more vetoes. short on key priorities like Florida Forever and the Rural and Family Lands program (see “appropriations” inset). On the policy front, Appropriations: progress on protections for Florida’s land and water were few and far between, while legislative attempts to diminish protection were Governor DeSantis asked for and the Legislature delivered $682 common. Of the nearly 3,400 bills introduced this session, fewer than million in landmark funding for Everglades Restoration and 200 made it to the finish line. water protection—enough to not just implement but accelerate some projects. Thanks to the diligent work of our army of staff, Stronger Water Protections Fail to Pass advocates, and partners, funding for the Everglades, water, In response to last summer’s harmful algal blooms, several springs, coastal resiliency, and Florida Forever remained in the environmental regulation bills were filed this year. However, none budget when it crossed the finish line. Additional appropriations of them made it to the finish line. The bills went through many of interest included: iterations and were eventually combined into a comprehensive Water water quality bill that included improvements like the transfer of the $10 million for innovative technologies to combat or treat septic program from the Department of Health to the Department harmful algal blooms and nutrient enrichment in Florida’s water of Environmental Protection, regulation and management of the bodies including Lake Okeechobee. disposal of wastewater sludge (biosolids), and creation of a grant program for water-quality projects. We cannot solve Florida’s water $50 million for restoration of Florida’s freshwater springs challenges without changes like these, and Audubon looks forward to (in addition to $50 million appropriated during the 2018- revisiting them in the 2020 session. 19 Legislative Session that the Legislature failed to release previously).